What I Think at the End of the 2015 Regular Season

Congrats to the Duoviri, Mike, Kevin, Tony P, Rich and Barry for making the championship playoffs this year!  Lots of things for those teams to be proud of this season, so I'll get right to it:

• First congrats go to Barry for squeezing into the playoffs even after a Week 13 loss to Mike.  Barry's Mega-Team experiment may have failed, but he definitely stepped up his waiver wire game this season, eliminating his 3-10 season last year and nailing a playoff spot thanks to a massive point total.  If you think it's wrong that a 5-8 team could make the playoffs, just remember the 5-7 Huskers are going to a bowl game.  Okay, maybe a bad analogy.
• Before I jump into talking about the winners, let me congratulate one of the losers.  Two months ago Berk was sitting on the bad side of a 6-game losing streak with no end in sight.  The basement seemed to be his home.  But a few waiver wire changes and confidence in his lineup paid off big time.  Since week 7, Berk has gone 3-3, but he's acquired enough points and beaten the right teams to finish 4-9 and still have more total team points than playoff teams Tony P. and Rich.  Sadly, it snaps a 6-year playoff appearance streak for Berk.  Hold your head up high, Berk.  That was some really good Fantasy Football play for you this season.
• So, the regular season is over and plenty of records made, all of them impressive and worth highlighting.
• The Duoviri ended up with the EW record for best regular season (12-1) ever, as well as the most total team points scored ever at 1576.91.  Like I said a few weeks ago, the game changes and so the point totals will go up.  I think it will be hard for anybody to beat those two records any time soon.  They also have the longest winning streak (11) in EW history.
• Mike scored the 2nd most total team points in EW history, as well as tied the 6th best season record at (10-3).  Mike is going to make a hard push to repeat as EW champion, continuing his 4-year streak of playoff appearances.  For the guy who once named his team "This is the year," I'm happy to see him doing so well.  Time, effort and patience paying off.
• Kevin is on a 2-year playoff appearance streak and scored the 5th highest total team points in EW history.
• Barry's Mega-Team scored the 9th highest total team points.
• And finally, my 3-10 team ties me for the 4th worst regular season record.  Yay me.
• So, let's look at the 2 championship games to be played this week.  First we'll start with Kevin vs. Tony P:
• Kevin is 0-2 against Tony P. this season.
• Kevin's team scored an average 109.09 points each week compared to Tony's 101.59 points.
• The two of them met in a low-scoring snoozer in Week 10, but I expect this week to be a much higher scoring, closer matchup.
• Tony P. has been in the playoffs 7 times but never made the championship.
• Looking at the player matchups, I think the advantage is definitely in Kevin's favor.  Kevin has been riding the Cam Newton/Panther train all season, and there's a great chance that they will light it up again this weekend against a shitty Atlanta defense.  On top of that, most of Kevin's marquis players are facing poor defenses.  
• I'm giving my nod to Kevin to win, but not forget that Tony P. traditionally has his greatest miracles during the playoffs.
• Moving on to Rich vs. Barry:
• They have split their regular season matchups 1-1, both with high point totals for both teams.
• Rich's team scored an average 102.40 points each week compared to Barry's 104.87 points.
• Rich is on a 3-year playoff appearance streak.  As I said before, this is Barry's first playoff appearance.
• For once, I agree with Yahoo.  This will be a very, very close matchup with both teams scoring in triple digits.  In good FF fashion, I think it will come down who picks the best starting line-up.  Both Rich and Barry have some tough choices to make.  Will Barry start Eifert and hope for a big Bengals game, or start Bortles who seems to be on a roll against a weak Colts defense?  Will Rich take Sneed and Culter off the bench?  Tough calls to make there, guys, and ultimately your fate will depend on them.
• My call?  I'm picking Rich by a nose.

Good luck to the four players in this week's matchups!  Thank you all for playing again this year.  I hope you enjoyed it more than last year.  See you again next week as we look to the semi-finals and the 4 teams who will get paid (assuming everyone pays their dues).

What I Think about Week 10 2015

Hello from the bottom of the standings!  So happy to be here.  Great use of my time and energy this season, let me tell you.  I'm entitled to bitch since it feels like it was just yesterday my season started out so strong, my team solid.  Of course, the Packers are probably thinking the same thing today.  I promise I will try to remain objective and impassive and all that other moral journalist/historian shit.  But just to be clear, I hate losing to you all.  A lot.  Truly.

• Damn FF for keeping the matchup between me and the Duoviri so close going into Monday night, and then still end up being a painful demolishment in the end.  Yes, I know that's not a word.  Stop being so fucking critical.  I'm hurting here!  Even still, congrats to the boys for their 8-game winning streak.  Getting closer to that record.  Revenge against Tom this weekend?  Possible, but I still like Tom to be the spoiler again and your winning streak ends.
• Speaking of spoiler teams, let's all take a look at Marshall.  Just a few short weeks ago I had him going to the playoffs.  Today, his chances are pretty much gone.  I just don't see him having the juice to pass Kevin, Tony, and Barry for the 6th spot.  So, he'll just try to ruin Barry and Kevin's chances of getting in and then end his season on a high note by kicking my team in the balls repeatedly.
• Speaking of Marshall, anybody want Peyton now?  Good call dropping him, dude.
• Speaking of Marshall again, I've got a feeling he'll be paying whatever it costs to keep AP next fall.
• Going back to my matchup with the wonder twins, I noticed an interesting FF situation I'd be curious to know what you all think about.  When you're setting your weekly lineups, I'd bet that you are lining up your players against the QB of your opposing team.  And why not?  It's good money that the majority of your players' TD's (doesn't matter if they are RB or WR) will involve the QB.  So, if you have the WR who catches the TD pass from the other team's QB, you are guaranteed to always stay a few points ahead in your matchup, at least until the QB throws for several hundred yards or rushes all over the field.  So by that token, it's wise strategy to start a player, perhaps even a lesser one, to counterbalance the potential point gain by your opponent's QB.  I should have done that in week 10 with Amendola against the twins (Brady), and they as well by starting Adams against me (Rodgers).  Not that it would have made a difference in our overall matchup, but from a strategy point-of-view I think the argument has merit.  What say you?
• Tough loss for Kevin who really needed the win to solidify a shot at the playoff spot.  More to come on that below.  Damn John Brown.
• So Berk is having a late season surge, isn't he?  Picking up West has paid off several weeks now, and no reason to think that won't continue.  Assuming Rothesburger stays healthy, he could make Kevin sweat a little this week, if not beat the twins in week 13 and spoil their winning streak.  Stay tuned.
• I think after this weekend we can call Barry's mega team experiment a failure.  Not a big one, but when 2 out of 3 of his marquis players sit the bench this deep into the season, the strategy didn't pay off as hoped.  Well, at least with the players he chose didn't pay off.  Both Lynch and Lacy have been two of the worst FF disappointments all season, and we feel for you dude.  I still think you have a shot at the playoffs with Lynch and the right matchups, and your starting lineups have been solid even if you lost the matchup.
• For those of you who haven't noticed, Mike is making a strong case to repeat as champion this season.  A win against Rich this weekend should solidify his playoff spot, if not his overall seeding, which could pit him and the Duoviri in a Championship rematch of last season.  Should be fun to watch.  I still like Rich's chances to spoil either team at just the right time, if not Kevin.
• Speaking of Kevin, as he pointed out to me this week, his FF team is once again cursed.   #3 team in total points, #4 in rankings.  Don't worry, dude.  Just remember that the point totals will definitely play a part in determining the #5 and 6 seeds this year.  Count on it.

So, let's take a look at the remaining 3-week schedule and which 6 teams might make it into the playoffs:

• Mike (7-3) - Mike's biggest challenge comes this weekend against Rich.  The winner will take possession of the #2 slot and most likely clinch a playoff spot.  I could see Tom being a spoiler in week 12 seeing as how Mike lost to Tom in week 3 by only 4 points.  Barry will likely be fighting for his life in week 13, but Mike should be in the playoffs no matter what by then.
• Rich (7-3) - A win against Mike would put him in the playoffs.  If not, he'd better win against Barry or a 7-5 record won't guarantee a spot with Kevin coming in at week 13.  
• Kevin (5-5) - I like Kevin's chances to make the #5 or #6 spot.  He has 2 easy matchups against Berk and Marshall, then the biggie against Rich.  If Carolina continues to play hard for an undefeated season, his chances improve.  I think a lot of things would have to not go Kevin's way to keep him out of the playoffs.
• Tony P (5-5) - In all the years we've been playing with Tony he never fails to entertain at the end of a season.  He always pushes ahead to win at just the right times.  He should have an easy time against me this weekend, lose to the twins while still scoring lots of points like he did in week 3, and then clinch a playoff spot by beating Tom in week 13.  A win at the last minute, just like always.  I beg you though, Tony.  If you do make the playoffs please change your team name.  I'd hate to see "Cosby's Sleepers" enshrined on our trophy for all time.
• Barry (4-6) - Barry has the toughest schedule ahead.  He'll need a win against Rich and/or Mike to stay ahead of Kevin, Tony and Tom to stay in the hunt for the #6 spot.  Just don't lose to Marshall this weekend.  Your high team points could help be the deciding factor at the end of week 13.
• Tom (4-6) - I can't believe I'm writing this, but Tom might have a shot at a playoff spot for the first time since 2008.  But he'll need Kevin, Tony or Barry to lose a lot in the next 3 weeks if he hopes to sneak in.  Tom is the only team to defeat the twins, and I like his chances again this weekend to go 2-0 against them.  Even still, following up with matchups against Mike and Tony are no guarantees.  I think it will come down to how Barry does and if whether or not Tom can beat Tony.  Otherwise, he'll just miss a spot.
• Marshall, Berk and I (3-7) will be busy fighting for the toliet bowl.  Considering I play Berk in week 12 and Marshall in week 13, I think it's all on me to decide who ends up at the bottom when it's all said and done.  I intend to do everything I can to make sure it's not me.  We'll see if it pays off.

Good luck to everyone this week (except for Tony)!  Make good choices (in life and your lineups), be sure to plan your calorie count for next Thursday, and stay warm.

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